1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of sports equipment and more particularly, to a method of and apparatus for a training aid for improving the swing of a piece of sports equipment, including but not limited to golf clubs.
2. Description of the Related Art
The game of golf requires the use of a variety of different types of golf clubs, and hence different swings, including driving, chipping and putting. Proper execution of the swing for each club requires the specific recollection and dynamic application of a separate sequence of steps. For example, in driving a golf ball, a golfer is typically instructed to keep his/her feet approximately shoulder width apart, back straight, knees flexed, elbows in, and head down during set-up; to keep his head still as he rotates his shoulders, shifts his weight to his back foot and bends his arms only slightly, if at all, at the elbow as he draws the club back to the top-of-swing position; and to then transfer his weight to his forward leg, followed by rotation of his hips and then following through an impact zone as he strikes the golf ball and completes the swing. For golfers at most every level of play, consistency and repeatability in achieving the desired optimal swing remains an ongoing challenge.
In view of the popularity of the golf game, a variety of devices have been devised to improve the basic golf swing. According to one example, the swing training device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,074 attempts to improve the golf swing by restricting the motion of the golfer's hips with relation to his shoulders, thereby increasing the differential angle between his shoulder rotation and hip-turn. That device provides a support affixed on one end to a flat base and a contoured member positioned on the support end opposite the base to receive the hips of the golfer and pivot along a defined horizontal plane to limit the movement of the golfer's hips during a golf swing. An important constraint in this and similar devices is the requirement of external apparatus for training the golfer in developing his swing, and the training device is neither portable nor usable during training and practice on the golf course.
According to another example of a swing training device, the Kallassey swing trainer attempts to improve the golf swing by providing a training aid in the form of a golf club having a sliding grip portion to be gripped by the golf student. However, sliding grip portion is fixed to the training club (limited to a number five iron) such that it is not usable with the golfer's own golf equipment (whether a wood, iron, or putter), thereby preventing the golfer from perfecting his swing based on the “feel” of his own equipment. Another important limitation is the restriction by design from use of that training device in an actual sports arena for non-regulation play training purposes. Yet a further important limitation is the restriction by design from use of that training device in a retrofittable capacity.
Thus, none of the devices in the related art discloses a golf swing training device which moves with the golfer throughout his golf swing to make him aware of his hand and body position at each point of his swing, and simultaneously allows the golfer's hips to make a lateral move towards the target area during the downswing and follow through, yet which also allows for complete portability of the training device. Moreover, none of the prior art devices known to me provide a golf swing trainer which is usable by retrofit with all of the golfer's clubs, without limitation to the location of use (on the golf course, driving range, or off site). Additionally, none of the related art devices disclose such a golf swing trainer which is removably affixable to any golf club (or other sporting equipment requiring training of a repeatably effective service swing) that enables the golfer to repeat his golf swing quickly and easily to develop his golf swing memory. In like manner, none of the related art devices enable the golfer to practice each of the different swings in his golf game, including driving, chipping, and putting, by providing muscular and tactile feedback. Indeed, most every one of the related art devices are specifically unavailable to the golfer when he actually engages in a game of golf.